Pilot-coupling for locomotives.



W. E. GOFPIN.

PILOT COUPLING FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

Patented May 19, 1914.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.10, 1910.

K i d/z 7 Z /A/ was:

WALTER E. COFFI N, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR.TO NATIONAL MALLEABLE CASTINGS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, K CORPORATION OF OHIO.

PILOT-COUPLING FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1914.

Application filed August 10, 193.0. Serial No. 576,585.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it,known that I, WALTER E. Corrns, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Cleveland, iirthe county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pilot-Couplers for Locomotives, of which the followin is a full, clear, and exact descript on, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a lan view of a pilot coupler embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a View partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section; and Figs. 3 and 4: are respectively plan and front end views of the follower.

My invention has relation to pilot couplers for locomotives, and is deslgned to provide a coupler of this type having means of novel and eflicient character for opposing a yielding resistance under buffing strains.

The nature of my invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown the preferred embodiment thereof, and whlch will now be described, it being premised,

however, that various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of the several parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of my inven tion, as defined in the appended claim.

In these drawings, the numeral 2 designates a coupler head of well known automatic type having a pivoted knuckle 3, and carried by a rearwardly extending shank 4. This shank extends backwardly into a pocket casting 5, where it is pivoted to a follow-er member 6, by means of a vertically extending pin 7. In normal position, the

follower 6 lies within the pocket casting 5, and is adapted to slide freely therein, as will be best understood by reference to Fig. 2. The pin 7 passes not only through the shank of the coupler and through the follower 6, but alsothrough the upper and lower walls of the pocket casting 5, said walls being slotted in rear of the pin, as shown at 8, in order to permit anunobstructed rearward movement of the pin when the coupler is subjected to a bufiing strain. The follower is provided with a rearwardly extending boss or shank 9, which projects backwardly within the pocket casting and centers the inner coil of a double coil spring 10. These springs at their rear ends abut against the plate or base portion of the pocket and at their forward ends seat against the shoulders 11 of the follower.

The upper end of the pin 7 has a head portion 7 which is flattened at opposite sides and lies between lugs 12, which are preferably cast upon the pocket and which permit the pin to slide bodily in a horizontal direction while preventing it from turning. The pin may be secured from with drawal by means of a cotter 13, or other suitable retaining device.

The follower member 6 is unsymmetrical with reference to the horizontal axis, and is formed with a forwardly extending shelf portion 6*, which is arranged to fit between the top surface of the coupler shank and the lower surface of the upper wall of the pocket, thereby acting as a shim for the coupler shank. When so much wear and looseness has taken place in service that the coupler head droops so far that it will not couple safely with other cars, the pin 7, together with the follower, can be removed and the follower turned through an angle of 180, thereby bringing its shim portion 6 at the bottom of the pocket, and thus raising the coupler through a height equal to the thickness of the shim. The boss or shank 9 of the follower is also offset with respect to the center line of the follower, so that when this reversal takes place, the boss or shank will serve to again center the springs and raise them an amount equal to the increased height of the coupler head. In this manner, all buiiing strains will still be taken through the central axis of the springs.

When the parts are in normal position, the springs tend to force the follower and the coupler shank to which it is pivoted far enough forwardly so that the pin 7 comes into engagement with the front walls of the holes or slots, through which it passes, in the top or bottom walls of the pocket casting.

In pulling, therefore, the pin has a solid bearing against the pocket casting, but in buffing the slots through which the pin extends permit of rearward movement of the pin to the extent allowed by the follower member and springs.

The device forms an exceedingly simple and eflicient pilot coupler for locomotives, which is greatly superior to the usual form of these eonplers, in which there is no means for yiellingly resisting either butting or pulling strains.

1 claim:

In it coupler device, Ll follower having an integral forwardly projecting flange at one edge, said flange forming a shim and the follower being reversible edge for edge, said follower also having a reurn'urclly extendlingspring-centering portion which is olf- 10 i set with respect to the center line vof the l follower, substantially as described. s I In testimony whereof, I have hereunto setmy hand.

WIKLTER CUFF Witnesses CHESTER K. BROOKS,

HARRY E. ORR. 

